used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
anew
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
big-eyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
Blanche's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Madeleine, come here!"
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Madeleine, come here!"
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
the act of retaining something
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
intrusionnounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːʒən/
any entry into an area not previously occupied
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
Madeleine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
compacted by ironing
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
punishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌnɪʃt/
subjected to a penalty (as pain or shame or restraint or loss) for an offense or fault or in order to coerce some behavior (as a confession or obedience)
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
with speed
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
cut with a saw
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
having a supporting base
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
not in physical motion
From this reading He rose quickly to his feet, and still holding Blanche's hand, he said:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
timidlyadverbUS /ˈtɪmədli/
in a shy or timid or bashful manner
From this reading She came forward timidly, as if afraid she might be punished for her intrusion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Instead of speaking, she put her arms on his shoulders, as a child might have done, and he pressed her close to his breast again.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Then he heard a noise behind him, and he saw Madeleine standing, big-eyed, in the doorway; she seemed too startled to move.
